From the very first meeting the owner, Sonia Longoria, promised me the moon and the stars and didn't deliver on any of her promises. Once she got my money the promises ended and amnesia set in, like a Bait and Switch.
When we first met we designed a beautiful headstone for my father in which she told me she would have the sketch for me within a week done by her husband. She told me she would swing by the following week to bring my Mother a necklace and a button with my fathers picture on it that we ordered on that first meeting. On that first day I also asked her to take a look at my grandmothers headstone and advise how much it would cost to re-paint and add picture. To this day, no price or information given for her stone.
8 weeks later, after many confusing calls and emails, the necklace and button were delivered. Sonia and her husband, Louie Arrey would send me emails and I never knew who I was communicating with. Louie would send an email that would say the opposite of what his wife had told me previously and because it had her name at the bottom of each email I was confused as to why she would tell me one thing and then in e-mails it was something different. Not until several months in did I realize I was communicating with 2 different people via e-mail.
2 months into this process I still had no ETA as to when my fathers headstone would be done, my mom had not received her necklace or button. They never apologized for the delay but in fact blamed me for "misunderstanding" and "we are on schedule". I received a call at 8pm one evening telling me she had text me over and over the day before to get some information from me but I never responded. Not sure if she was telling the truth or if it was just to cover up what she told me previously. Never received said messages.
I received an e-mail from Sonia on Friday September 25th that read verbatim "The headstones will be delivered on Monday". I also spoke to her husband that day to arrange payment. He wanted the stone paid in full before delivery which I had no issue with. Because I live out of the area I offered to pay with a credit card over the phone which he said no to because "the credit card company charges them a fee." So I told him I would put a check in the mail on Monday September 28, which I did. He went on to tell me once my check cleared he would "call the cemetery and ok the release of the headstone" The check cleared 4 days later.
Fast forward 2 weeks, I called the cemetery office to get an ETA as to when the cement would be poured and when I could expect my fathers headstone to be installed. They let me know they couldn't locate the headstone and were afraid it got misplaced. I was adamant it was delivered 2 weeks prior on 9/28. I received a call back from the office letting me know it was delivered earlier this day. 2 weeks after Louie and Sonia told me it would be delivered. I got right on the phone with Louie and asked him why they told me it would be delivered and then it wasn't. He continued to tell me they NEVER said this. How does someone misunderstand an e-mail received on Friday that clearly states "The headstone will be delivered on Monday?" I copied and pasted the e-mail to him that day so he could see what I was told. Again, he told me I misunderstood and even when on to tell me that his wife NEVER told me she would deliver the button a week after meeting with me, even though he wasn't at our first meeting!!! After several e-mails I asked them not to respond because anything I said they were going to turn around and deny or blame me for "not understanding". Guess what? They responded to my e-mails. Louie went on in the e-mail stating that I should have come to Salinas to pay for the headstone if I wanted it delivered on 9/28. He also said if it was too far for me to come I shouldn't have expected his wife to drive "so far" as well to deliver a button. I was so appalled at this point that he would tell me the drive was too far for her to come deliver a button she promised but had no problem "driving far" to make promises and sell us their services on the first day!!!
That same evening at 9:20pm he called me. Why is a professional business calling at this hour? I told him I did not want to speak to him and to never call me again. Sonia AGAIN sent me an e-mail after this call telling me they did everything they said they would and that they are dealing with 5 close family deaths and are also mourning as I am. I don't need to know their personal business!!! Steer clear from this business. read more
